Multipurpose presser foot

ABSTRACT

A multipurpose presser foot for sewing machines comprises a sole pivotally mounted to a flange-plate for attaching the foot to a presser bar with an alignment so that, in operation, a part of the lower surface of the sole is adjacent to completed stitching. So as to facilitate passage thereunder of raised stitching, this part is retractable from the lower plane of the sole against the action of a spring. The retractable part is connected to the rest of the sole in the manner of a deformable parallelogram by means of a set of articulated members so that the retractable part, when displaced, remains parallel to the said plane.

United States Patent Casas-Robert [54] MULTIPURPOSE PRESSER FOOT [72] Inventor: Ramon Cases-Robert, Geneva, Switzerland [73] Assignee: Mefina S.A., Fribourg, Switzerland [22] Filed: Sept. 3, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 69,387

[ 1 Feb.l,l972

2,671,422 3/1954 Tamburro et al. ..112/235 Primary ExaminerPatrick D. Lawson Att0rneyEmory L. Groff and Emory L. Grofi, Jr.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A multipurpose presser foot for sewing machines comprises a sole pivotally mounted to a flange-plate for attaching the foot to a presser bar with an alignment so that, in operation, a part of the lower surface of the sole is adjacent to completed stitching. So as to facilitate passage thereunder of raised stitching, this part is retractable from the lower plane of the sole against the action of a spring. The retractable part is connected to the rest of the sole in the manner of a defonnable parallelogram by means of a set of articulated members so that the retractable part, when displaced, remains parallel to the said plane.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUFEB 1m 3.638.595

w .d ""ll r INVENTOR RAMON GAsAs- ROBERT BY W-W ATTORNEY MULTIPURPOSE PRESSER FOOT The present invention concerns multipurpose presser feet, particularly for sewing machines capable of sewing all types of stitching.

According to the invention, a multipurpose presser foot for sewing machines comprises a sole pivotally mounted on a member for attaching the foot to a presser bar with a given alignment, so that when in operation a part of the lower surface of the sole is located adjacent to completed stitching, the said part of the sole being retractable from a lower plane of the lower surface of the sole against the action of a spring so as to facilitate passage thereunder of raised stitching, the retractable part being connected to the rest of the sole in the manner of a deformable parallelogram by means of a set of articulated members, so that the retractable part when displaced remains parallel to the said plane.

The accompanying drawings show, schematically and by way of example, an embodiment of the presser foot according to the invention.

FIG.-1 is an underneath plan view of this foot.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partially in longitudinal cross section, of the foot.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the front part of the foot.

FIG. 4 is a plan view from above showing the foot in working position, the sewing machine having already sewn a certain length of satin-type stitching.

FIG. 5 is a cross section along VV of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross section along VIVl of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated presser foot comprises a sole I pivotally mounted about an axle 2 to a flangeplate 3 for fixation of the foot to the presser bar 4 by means of a clamping screw 5. The presser bar 4 is itself submitted to the action of a spring (not shown) tending to push it downwardly upon operation of the sewing machine. This presser bar is shown in the ready-to-use position on a sewing machine, a hole-needle plate 6 being able to lead in the parts 7 to be sewn which are pinched between the plate 6 and the sole 1 of the foot.

An opening 8 is provided in the central part of the sole 1 for the passage of the needle 9, this opening coinciding with the hole 10 of the hole-needle plate 6. A slot 11 enables engagement of the upper thread 12 into the interior of the opening 8 when preparing the machine for sewing.

The sole 1 of this presser foot has an opening or clearance 13 in its rear upper part. This clearance is forwardly closed by a transversal bar 14. A stirrup 15 is engaged on the pivoting axle of the sole 1 to the flange-plate 3. The axle 2 thus simultaneously forms the pivoting axis of the sole 1 and the stirrup 15. The stirrup I5 has branches 16 the ends of which are articulated by an axle 17 to a boss 18 provided on a plate 19 suspended in the clearance 13 of the sole 1. This plate 19, which forms the retractable part of the lower surface of the foot, is also suspended to the sole 1 by a pair of arms 20 pivoted about a second transversal axle 21 to the rear part of the sole 1. These arms 20 are pivotally mounted by an axle 22 to the rear of the plate 19. The length of the branches 16 between its pivoting axles 2 and I7 is at least approximately equal to the length of the arms 20 between its pivoting axles 22. The suspension of plate 19 is thus in the manner of a deformable parallelogram, the plate 19 being capable of displacement parallel to itself from its rest position, shown in FIG. 2, in which the front part of the plate 19 comes into abutment against the transversal bar l4. A pincer-type spring 23 is engaged about the axle 2, its two ends 24 being supported against the flange-plate 3, while its central part 25 exerts its action against the stirrup I5 and tends to pivot it in the clockwise direction looking at FIGS. 2 and 5.

Grooves 26 are provided in the lower surface of the sole 1, so as to facilitate the passage and the guiding of parallel stitches, for example the sides of a buttonhole during its production.

The above-described presser foot operates in the following manner:

For carrying out normal sewing, the foot operates in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, Le, the retractable part 19, because of the action of the spring 23, rests in its lowermost position, i.e., at the level of the lower surface of the sole 1. On the contrary, when the sewing machine is used to carry out raised sewing such as a satin stitch, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the thickness of the sewing formed downstream of the opening 8 of the presser foot causes a rearwards and upwards displacement of the plate 19, as can be seen in FIG. 5, in a manner to leave a sufficient space for the passage of this raised sewing 27 without causing a separation of the sole 1 in relation to the pieces 7 to be sewn. It is to be noted that the spring 23 not only ensures return of the retractable plate 19 to the lower position, but also tends to lift the front end of the sole 1 by pivoting about the axle 2 when the branches 16 of the stirrup as well as the front part of the plate 19 take support against the transversal bar 14 of the sole 1.

Numerous varied embodiments of the illustrated presser foot shown in the drawing can be envisaged. Hence, the stirrup 15 could, of course, be replaced by one or two arms 20. Conversely, the pair of arms 20 could be replaced by a stirrupshaped part or articulated plate. As for the spring 23 of the wound spiral type, it could be replaced by a leaf spring acting on the stirrup l5.

I claim:

1. A multipurpose presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a sole pivotally mounted on a member for attaching the foot to a presser bar with a given alignment, so that when in operation a part of the lower surface of the sole is located adjacent to completed stitching, the said part of the sole being retractable from a lower plane of the lower surface of the sole against the action of a spring, so as to facilitate passage thereunder of raised stitching, the retractable part being connected to the rest of the sole in the manner of a deformable parallelogram by means of a set of articulated members, so that the retractable part when displaced remains parallel to said plane.

2. A presser foot as claimed in claim 1, in which the retractable part of the sole is suspended in an opening in a rear part of the sole, a transversal bar defining a front end of the opening, and the retractable part of the sole abutting against the transversal bar when in a lowermost position in said plane.

3. A presser foot as claimed in claim 1, in which the set of articulated members comprises a stirrup piece pivotally mounted on the sole about an axis transversal to the sole, branches of the stirrup piece being pivotally mounted to the retractable part, and a pair of arms pivotally mounted at one end to the sole and at the other end to the retractable part.

4. A presser foot as claimed in claim 3, in which the set of articulated members comprises a stirrup piece pivotally mounted on the sole about an axis transversal to the sole, branches of the stirrup piece being pivotally mounted to the retractable part, and a pair of arms pivotally mounted at one end to the sole and at the other end to the retractable part, the sole being pivotally mounted on a flange-plate for attaching the foot to a presser bar about said transversal axis, a spring urging the retractable part about said transversal axis towards said lowermost position in said plane and tending, when the retractable part is in the lowermost position, to pivot the sole about the said transversal axis to raise a front end thereof.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE CERTIFICATE F E Patent No. 595 Dated Inventor(s) RAMON cAsAs-RoBERT It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading of the patent, [30} Foreign Application Pt 0 l9 o Priority Data, change "Sept 9, 1969 to Signed and sealed this 11 th day of July 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FCRM PO-105O (10-69) LJSCOMM-DC 60376-P69 fi u.s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I969 0-366-334 

1. A multipurpose presser foot for sewing machines, comprising a sole pivotally mounted on a member for attaching the foot to a presser bar with a given alignment, so that when in operation a part of the lower surface of the sole is located adjacent to completed stitching, the said part of the sole being retractable from a lower plane of the lower surface of the sole against the action of a spring, so as to facilitate passage thereunder of raised stitching, the retractable part being connected to the rest of the sole in the manner of a deformable parallelogram by means of a set of articulated members, so that the retractable part when displaced remains parallel to said plane.
 2. A presser foot as claimed in claim 1, in which the retractable part of the sole is suspended in an opening in a rear part of the sole, a transversal bar defining a front end of the opening, and the retractable part of the sole abutting against the transversal bar when in a lowermost position in said plane.
 3. A presser foot as claimed in claim 1, in which the set of articulated members comprises a stirrup piece pivotally mounted on the sole about an axis transversal to the sole, branches of the stirrup piece being pivotally mounted to the retractable part, and a pair of arms pivotally mounted at one end to the sole and at the other end to the retractable part.
 4. A presser foot as claimed in claim 3, in which the set of articulated members comprises a stirruP piece pivotally mounted on the sole about an axis transversal to the sole, branches of the stirrup piece being pivotally mounted to the retractable part, and a pair of arms pivotally mounted at one end to the sole and at the other end to the retractable part, the sole being pivotally mounted on a flange-plate for attaching the foot to a presser bar about said transversal axis, a spring urging the retractable part about said transversal axis towards said lowermost position in said plane and tending, when the retractable part is in the lowermost position, to pivot the sole about the said transversal axis to raise a front end thereof. 